Choosing the correct stoma appliance

Abstract

Surgery to the bowel or bladder that results in a stoma, whether temporary or permanent, is designed to improve the individual’s situation by removing disease, reducing pain and improving health. Many people are able to adapt to the physical and psychological trauma of stoma surgery, as demonstrated by the return to their everyday activities and relationships. An extensive array of stoma appliances is now available in the drug tariff for General Practitioners (GP) to prescribe, but many GPs will have little knowledge of what to prescribe for the stoma patient. Modern stoma appliances are continually changing and being updated and this article will look at choosing the correct appliance for the patient with a bowel or bladder stoma.